GE Heat Pump Water Heater
GeoSpring Hybrid Review

GE heat pump water heater, called GeoSpring
is
the hybrid heating unit from General Electric that utilize
heat
pump
technology for residential hot water heating. The review includes its
advantages, benefits, where can you buy it and some installation
requirements.

Why GeoSpring

GE manufacturer offers only one
hybrid model, GEH50DEEDSC
that comes with the popular tank size of 50 gallons, recommended for
new homes or as a great replacement for the standard tank-type
electric water heater with the 50 gal capacity, but with the greater
first hour
delivery (65 gallons) and significant reduction in energy
usage (62%).

GeoSpring is the Energy Star
qualified product that provides high energy factor (EF) of
2.35, which is more
than twice the
efficiency of the standard 50-gallon units (an average
EF is 0.9).

This unit is a great alternative to the gas water
heaters as it can be seen from its efficiency and all the advantages
and
benefits it has to offer; including the government grants and
utility
rebates.

Features

GE GeoSpring
is the hybrid water heater that utilize the heat pump
technology and standard heating elements as the backup
heating. GeoSpring
is actually the electric water heater with the addition of the
compressor,
evaporator, condenser and fan, all integrated into one system,
installed
on the top of the unit.

Filter

The unit is equipped also with the filter, so when the heat
pump
runs, it draws the surrounding air through the air
filter, keeping the dirt and dust away from the evaporator. Maintenance
is recommended as the clean air
filter improves the energy efficiency of the water heater. When the
filter is dirty and requires cleaning, the red light on the control
panel is illuminated.

Control panel

GE heat pump
uses an electronic
back-lit LCD
display, located close to the top of the unit at the eye-level, so
you can conveniently change the mode or temperature, by pressing the
arrow up or down and following the instructions
on
the display.

LCD
display is part of the integrated electronic system
that also helps with the diagnostics and easy troubleshooting. The
Energy
Menu is very helpful and user friendly, which allows you to convert
degrees F to degrees C
and check out the FAQs to find the answers about the cold air,
noise, modes and other useful info.

There
are also five LED diodes on the control panel that shows which
operating mode is activated. To alternate between the modes, the mode
selector is used.

The
control panel has also the communication module port (ACM) and power
saver override that is used with the module. It is used to respond to
utility signal, if the utility company uses the ACM technology, or to
join a home network. The ACM module recognizes when there is a
change in the energy cost rate and automatically adjusts its mode to
use less energy.

Connections

All the water connections on this heat pump use the
standard size
of 3/4" and
recommended water pressure is 20-125 PSI.

Temperature
and pressure safety valve, 3" condensate overflow tube and 6"
condensate tube are included. From the relief valve, you should run the
discharge line and together with the main drain tube it has to be
directed
to the suitable open drain.

Protection

There
are several elements that protect the heat pump and the user. The
sacrificial
anode rod protects the metal tank from corrosion, the
temperature-limiting control or TCO shuts the unit down if the water
temperature exceeds the safe zone, temperature and pressure relief
valve...

Warranty

General Electric provides 10-year limited warranty on
this GEH50DEEDSC
heat pump model, and one
year on the replacement parts and labor.

How it works

General
Electric heat pump works by using the evaporator to extract
heat from the surrounding air and compressor to increase the
temperature. The air is moved through the heat pump by two fans located
at the back of the water heater near the top. Condenser coils which
wrap the tank all its length transfers the captured heat into
the
tank and heats the water.

GE heat pump also uses the upper and
lower 4.5 kW heating elements and can work as the electric water
heater.
Keep in mind that only one heat source will be in used at the time,
providing greater energy efficiency while producing hot water.

This
is how the heat pump will heat the same
amount of hot water
as conventional tank type electric water heaters, but the energy used
is much lower, which helps in lowering water heating expenses
up to
62%.

Modes

GeoSpring uses multiple settings or modes
so you
can,
based on your water heating needs and temperature, maximize your
savings
by using less energy, use heat pump only, backup heater or both.

Heat Pump mode
allows you to run the heat pump only, which makes this mode the most
efficient with maximum savings. It is recommended mode for families
looking for the maximum savings but not recommended where the high
demand for hot water is needed such as large houses. When the backup
heater is not used, it
takes longer to heat water.

Hybrid mode
is the default mode, used if faster hot water recovery is needed.
First, heat pump will operate and if more hot water is needed than the
backup electric heating elements will activate as well. After high
demand is met, the system goes back to use the heat pump only. This
will
provide hot water faster, longer and with less energy
used. It performs as the conventional electric water heater but with
the great energy savings.

High demand mode is
similar to the Hybrid mode and is used if there is a sudden need for
more
hot water than usual. The heat pump system will react promptly by
turning on the heating elements and
provide hot water
faster and for a long time. It will also take more energy to heat this
hot water.

GE heat pump in Electric
or Standard
mode works exactly as the electric water heater with the
fan off. This
is
especially helpful if the surrounding temperatures are low, when the
heat
pump decreases its performance and efficiency. Water will increase the
temperature faster but the energy consumed will be the highest.

Vacation mode
allows you to program the system if you are on a vacation, for example,
or absent more than 3 and less than 90 days. Set the system to drop the
hot water temperature to 50 F which will also prevent water
from
freezing.

Advantages

GE heat pump has the energy factor 2.35 which is higher than
the Rheem
heat pump, designed with the EF 2.0.

When it compares to the standard electric
heater, GeoSpring
hybrid water heater produces the same amount of hot water, but it uses
less
than half the energy. Per GE study, you will save
around 2500
kWh yearly, which gives you the annual savings of
approximately
$250 (based on
10 cents per kWh).

GE heat pump is the only model from electric
water heaters that is recognized as the Energy Star, making it eligible
for government grants and utility rebates.

It is good on environment as it applies the "green" technology
for
reducing
greenhouse gases.

It is easy to replace and it occupies almost the same space as
the
conventional electric 50-gallon water heater tank.

Installing

GeoSpring is the free standing unit that
requires clean and
dry area with at least 700 cubic feet room. The unit requires 240 V and
30 Amps electrical power to operate. The electric supply line should be
dedicated and installed per electric codes.

As the heat pump uses the surrounding air for water heating,
recommendation is to provide at least 7" clearance above the unit. The
best is to install the unit so the air filter, front panel and cover
can be removed easily for servicing and maintenance.

If you are looking for the reviews online, you will
notice
that the major concern or complain about this heat pump is the noise.
This is why it is unsuitable for installation in the spaces close to
the living area or bedrooms.

Cost

GE heat pump cost more than the standard
electric water heaters. With the tax
incentives, ENERGY STAR rebates and cost
savings, the heat pump will typically pay for itself in approximately
3-4 years.

You can buy the heat pump at the Lowe's or at Sears'
store for
$1,699 (in 2013). Use the GE website here for more info.

Heat Pumps Reviews

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